Carrier case and rack for phonograph records



Nov.4, 1941. BQEHILLS 2,261,806

CARRIER CASE AND RACK FOR PHONdGRAPH RECORDS Filed April 6, 1959 Patented Nov. 4, 1941 CARRIER CASE AND RACK FOR PHONO- GRAPH RECORDS Barclay E. Hills, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to Liberty Music Shops, Inc., New York, N. Y., p a corporation of New York Application April 6, 1939, Serial No. 266,307

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to a case for phonograph records and aims to provide certain improvements therein. More particularly, it relates to a supporting case comprising a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the pockets of which are adapted to be opened in fan-like manner as the case is opened to render available the pockets within which the phonograph records can be readily inserted, held and removed.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a phonograph record case which can serve to transport a substantial number of phonograph records from place to place in a facile, safe and compact manner. A further object is to provide such case which is adapted to serve as a rack when the case is in open position and thereby facilitate filing and removing the records for use as required. A further object is to provide an expansible type of compartment case so designed as to prevent pinching and breaking of the records when opening and closing the case.

The foregoing and other objects of my invention which have not been specifically enumerated, I accomplish by providing a split box-like case adapted toopen at its back in a manner such that the case sections may lie flat upon a table, said case having mounted therein an expansible type multiple pocket file which is adapted to fan outwardly into semi-cylindrical form as the casing is opened to present the pockets in a convenient manner to function as a phonograph record file. Each of the pockets is so constructed as to limit the movement of a record when contained therein and to prevent collapse of the pocket at its inner'end as the file is opened and closed and thereby prevent crushing or snapping the records at the inner ends of the pockets. More specifically, each pocket is formed by a filler member of a thickness slightly greater than that of a phonograph record, said filler member being cut away from its top inwardly along an arc of a circle and secured to a pair of face sheets, each of which is formed with a, top central gusset which extends longitudinally of the pockets and constitutes the walls of two adjoining pockets. The face sheets and the filler members are suitably connected together and reinforced in a manner to provide a strong and compact expansible type multiple pocket file.

The invention also embodies other features of novelty per se and in combination, all of which will be better understood from the detailed description which follows when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a carrying case embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the invention with the case in open relation and the expansible file contained therein in expanded relation with several phonograph recordsv in the file pockets.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken along the planes of the lines 33 of Fig. 2. a

Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially along the plane of the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, let the numeral l0 indicate a rigid box-like carrying case which is split or divided along a line H into two sections l 2 and I3, each of rectangular tray formation, the said sections having separate backer bottom walls i5 and I6 respectively flexibly connected together and to the sections proper by a binder strip M which may be an integral part of the covering material of the case. For rendering the case portable it is provided with a carrying handle I! and to hold the case sections in closed assembled relation they are provided with latching means i8.

Mounted within the case I0 is a multiple pocket file of the expansible type indicated as'a whole by the numeral IS. The end walls 20 and 2| of said file may be aflixed and held to the inner faces of the sections I2 and i3 respectively in any desired manner.

The expansible type file i9 consists of a plurality of pockets 22 each formed by two adjacent face sheets 23 and a filler member 24. Each face sheet 23 is formed from a rectangular sheet of paper folded into substantially triangular prismatic form, the small side of the triangular prism having a crease 25 therein to constitute a gusset, and the other sides of the prism each constituting one of the faces of an adjacent pocket. Each filler member 213 is preferably formed from a sheet of card-boarder the like-of a thickness slightly greater than that of a phonograph record and insures a pocket width at the bottom and sides which will prevent crushing and snapping of the records within the pockets as the case is being opened and closed. Each filler member extends completely across the bottom and along the edges of the folded face sheets to which said filler is attached preferably throughout its facial area which is substantially reduced by being cut away from its top inwardly along an arc of a circle as indicated at 25 as best shown in Fig. 4, the cut away portion with the side sheets thereby delineating the pocket which is of a size to accommodate either a 10" or 12" disk phonograph record and limit its movement within the pocket. The

inner ends of the folded sheets and filler members are all mounted in abutting relation upon a reinforcing binder strip 21 so as to permit collapsing and fanning out of the expansible file as the case sections are closed and opened respectively. The face sheets and the filler members are also reenforced at their top by reenforcing tapes 28 in a manner to permit expansion and collapse of the sheet gussets. To further secure the filler members and the face sheets together, they may be rivetted together by eyelets 29 extending through reenforcing binder strips 30i formed of any suitable material.

In view of the definite thickness of the filler members 24 and the connection throughout their facial areas with the face sheets 23, it will be apparent that the pockets 22 are of fixed width at their closed sides and are capable of expansion at their open tops due to the presence of the gussets thereat which connect adjacent pockets. The weight of the records pressing against the face sheets at their open tops therefor slightly deform the same intermediate their ends as will be apparent from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3. This slight deformation of the face sheets, however, acts as a sort of cushion for supporting the records and facilitates their insertion into and removal from the pockets.

For holding the case sections in open fiat relation, that is, with the expansible file expanded or fanned out to approximately 180 in which position the use of the device as a record file is facilitated, I provide a pair of toggle links 3|, 32 connected to the sections l2 and I3 respectively, the said links being of a size to extend in substantially aligned relation when the sections are disposed in the manner above set forth.

In the use of my invention, it will thus be apparent that when the case is in its open position as shown in Fig. 2 the phonograph records 33 can be readily inserted into and removed from the pockets and said records will be confined within said pockets when the case sections are closed as shown in Fig. 1. It will also be appreciated that by providing a file which is adapted to fan out through an arc of approximately 180 the number of pockets which such file can be made to contain is considerable, hence a substantial number of records can be conveniently, safely and compactly transported from place to place.

The invention it will be further appreciated can be embodied in forms of cases other than specific-ally disclosed, where such cases are to be supported on shelves or upon the top or within the compartments of a phonograph cabinet. Accordingly while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention and the manner of its construction and use, I do not wish to be limited to these, since it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

What I claim is:

1. A case for phonograph records or the like comprising a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the pockets of which have an open top, closed sides and a closed bottom and are each formed by two adjacent face sheets each having a central gusset extending longitudinally of the open side of the pocket, each sheet constituting walls of two adjacent pockets, and a spacing member of definite thickness which is greater than the thickness of a record to be received in said pocket connected to adjacent faces of adjoining sheets to define the thickness of a pocket.

2. A case for phonograph records or the like comprising a multiple file of the expansible type, the pockets of which have an open top, closed sides and a closed bottom, and are each formed by two adjacent face sheets each having a central gusset extending longitudinally of the open side of the pocket, each sheet constituting walls of two adjacent pockets and a spacing member of definite thickness which is greater than the thickness of a record to be received in said pocket extending completely across the bottom and along the closed sides of each pocket and connected to adjacent faces of adjoining sheets to define the thickness of a pocket.

3. A case for phonograph records or the like comprising a rigid box-like casing which is divided at its back to provide two sections adapted to open outwardly, said casing having therein a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the end walls of which are affixed to the inner faces of the casing sections so that the file is adapted to open out in fan fashion as the casing sections are opened, the pockets of the file each having an open side and closed sides and said pockets being connected together in substantially abutting relation along one of their closed sides adjacent the back of the casing, and being'connected together at their open side by expansible means to permit relative transverse movement between the pockets, said pockets each having spacing members therein adjacent said closed sides of slightly greater thickness than a record.

4. A case for phonograph records or the like comprising a rigid box-like casing which is divided at its back to provide two sections adapted to open out into fiat relation,'said casing having therein a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the end walls of whichare affixed to the inner faces of the casing sections so that the file is adapted to open out in fan fashion to approximately as the casing sections are opened, each pocket being open at one side and closed at the other sides and being non-expansible along their closed sides, said pockets each comprising a pair of face walls with a spacing member there between extending adjacent said closed sides and connected thereto, said spacing member being of slightly greater thickness than a record and adapted to limit the movement of a record with in a pocket. I

5. A portable carrying case for phonograph records or the like comprising a rigid box-like casing which is divided at its back to provide two sections adapted to open outwardly, said casing having therein a multiple pocket file of the expansible type, the end walls of which are afiixed to the inner faces of the casing sections so that the file is adapted to open out in fan fashion as the casing sections are opened outwardly, each pocket having an open top, closed sides and a closed bottom and comprising a pair of face walls with a spacing member therebetween and connected thereto, said spacing member being of slightly greater thickness than a record and extending completely across the bottom and along the depth of the closed sides of the pocket and having a substantially semi-circular cut-out portion defining the internal shape of the pocket.

BARCLAY E. HILLS. 

